The number of men developing lung cancer in Ireland continues to fall, however this trend is not being seen in women, a new report from the National Cancer Registry of Ireland (NCRI) has shown.

According to the NCRI's latest Annual Report, which looks at the period 1994 to 2013, around 37,000 people are diagnosed with cancer here every year and the overall number of people being diagnosed continues to rise, mainly due to the ageing of the Irish population.

However among men, the risk of developing cancer, which had been steadily rising since the mid 1990s, appears to be plateauing. Furthermore, the risk of developing lung cancer continues to fall among men, as a result of a long-term drop in the number of men who are smokers.

The same cannot be said for women, with lung cancer rates increasing by 2% every year between 1994 and 2013. Lung cancer has now overtaken bowel cancer as the second most commonly diagnosed cancer in women, after breast cancer.

Commenting on these findings, Kathleen O'Meara of the Irish Cancer Society (ICS) said that they show the ‘long-term effects of the smoking crisis among women in Ireland'.

"While smoking rates among women are now starting to drop, there are still large numbers of women smoking and this is of great concern. We need to support women who want to quit smoking and it is vital that we find ways for communities to be supportive places for female smokers to quit," she commented.

The ICS highlighted the fact that many cancers can be prevented by following the European Code Against Cancer.This is a simple plan that outlines how to reduce the risk of cancer in the first place, and how to reduce the risk of reoccurence in those who have previously had the disease.

"It is time that we start to do something to reduce the risk of cancer incidence as rates continue to increase. We need to look at ways in which we can prevent cancer rather than simply focusing on diagnostics and treatment. We know that certain cancers can be prevented by making simple lifestyle changes. This is one way that we can take on the rising incidence of cancer," Ms O'Meara said.

The European Code Against Cancer advises the following:
-If you smoke, try to quit
-Eat at least five servings of fruit and vegetables per day
-Limit your intake of fatty foods
-Limit alcohol intake to no more than two standard drinks per day for men and one per day for women. A standard drink is a small glass of wine, a half pint of beer or a pub measure of spirits
-Do brisk physical activity every day
-Maintain a healthy weight
-Protect yourself in the sun and avoid sunburn
-See your doctor if you notice any lumps or sores that are not healing
-See your doctor if you notice a mole that changes in shape, size or colour, or bleeds in unusual circumstances
-See your doctor if you have ongoing problems such as unexplained weight loss, a change in bowel or bladder habits, a cough or hoarseness.

If you have any concerns about cancer, you can call the ICS Cancer Nurseline on 1800 200 700. Calls are free of charge.